The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 23, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

A trampoline collision and a magic arrowhead cause sixth-graders Tom Witherspoon and Emma Baker to switch bodies for four long days in which they discover and learn to sympathize with gender differences. Humorously presented, the underlying point is made explicit by their assignment for health class to pay special attention to how gender creates differences in our lives. From sports and school to erections and first periods, Tom and Emma find that others’ expectations and their own physical and emotional makeup shape their experiences. Through alternating chapters of third-person narrative, the reader comes to see those differences and learns that families can be different, too. Remarkably, the author succeeds in making clear exactly who is experiencing what in which body; the design reinforces this with chapter headings including traditional male and female symbols to show which bodies will be the focus. As is traditional in body-switching stories, Tom and Emma’s incredible experience allows them to become friends again, a cheerful ending to a message-driven but enjoyable read. (Fiction. 10-13)

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